Skin and Bones
by Sailor Grape
Summary: HPDM ::slashy one-shot:: During battle, Draco pledged himself to stay by Harry's side, claiming safety in numbers. It would be protection at all costs, even life.


Title: Skin and Bones  
  
Author: GrapeSmshr  
  
Rated: PG-13  
  
Coupling: HP/DM slashy goodness  
  
Disclaimer: If you don't know this by now... ::sighs:: Charas aren't mine; the song is Skin and Bones by the Hazies  
  
A/N: I love this song with a fiery passion. It was one of those songs that was only faintly popular like 6 or so years ago, so most people have never heard it. I suggest you all download the song. With that said, I hope I did the words justice. Read on and enjoy!  
  
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I lit a candle in your name  
  
I watched you shoot across the night  
  
And as the world went up in flames  
  
Yeah I found you lying by my  
  
You were lying by my side  
  
Red, green, and other colored sparks showered down like lightning confetti. They would have been beautiful had they not been attached to hexes and curses, many of which were Unforgivables. The deadly fireworks show had started two days previous, the final battle ending only an hour earlier.  
  
Currently witches and wizards were still in battle, Aurors and Order members trying to capture Death Eaters, the Death Eaters trying to kill the former. Many had already fallen, and the numbers of those slain kept rising.  
  
"Hurry up! They're gaining on us!" Harry Potter shouted as he willed his legs to move faster. They had spent the last twenty minutes trying to dodge a pair of particularly ruthless Death Eaters who were shooting off hexes as if they were bullets. Having splintered his wand during the final standing with Voldemort, Harry was left quite defenseless, save a mediocre handful of wandless magic that hadn't done much damage so far. For these reasons, his fighting companion would not leave him.  
  
"Harry, duck!" Draco Malfoy cried, swearing as an Unforgivable just barely flew over Harry. Twisting around but still running forward, he shot the two Death Eaters with a stunning spell which he knew wouldn't last long. He never had been good at them. He was most proficient in the Dark Arts, but he was working for the wrong side to be able to use them.  
  
"Quick, this way!" Harry turned to the left, dodging in-between the thick expanse of trees and ducking into a tiny rock alcove. He scooted back to make room for Draco. Both panted heavily, scanning the trees for any sign of movement.  
  
As their breaths evened out, a silence fell between the two. But it was far from silent around them. Curses and screams could be heard through the trees, though none of them sounded close by.  
  
Without looking away from the trees, Harry murmured, "I think we should split up. Be safer that way."  
  
Draco stared at him in disbelief. He couldn't possibly have said that because he wasn't stupid. Too brave for his own good, yes. Stupid, no. "You don't mean that."  
  
"They would have to go in two separate directions. We would be harder to catch."  
  
"Me, sure. You, not so much. You have no wand!" Draco protested.  
  
"Yes, but my dodging skills are impeccable," he tried to joke, failing miserably.  
  
"You have no way to properly defend yourself--"  
  
"I know!" Harry burst out vehemently. "That's why we should split up. I don't want--I don't want to get you killed." Lowering his gaze, Harry refused to look at Draco, so he returned to scanning the trees.  
  
"Harry, listen to me." When the other man didn't acknowledge him, Draco roughly grabbed Harry's chin and forcefully turned his head, hissing, "Listen to me, damnit! I'm not going to die, and neither are you. I'd never let that happen."  
  
"But--"  
  
"But nothing." Draco's hand dropped and grasped Harry's own, their fingers lacing together. "We knew the dangers going into this war. After everything that's happened, it would be pointless to abandon caution now. I'm staying with you. There's no arguing."  
  
The blonde's words struck Harry. As stubborn as Draco was, Harry hadn't really expected to be taken seriously, only offering a way out because he felt compelled to. Still, he was surprised that Draco's pledge had affected him so. Offering a tiny smile, Harry said quietly, "Thank you."  
  
Draco squeezed their hands together one last time before climbing to his feet, crouching low. "I think we should head out again."  
  
Nodding, Harry followed. They took cautious steps among the shadows, pausing on the outskirts of the forest. With a silent agreement, the two left the sanctuary of the forest and plunged back into the war. Almost immediately they were accosted by a group of Death Eaters. With the help of a nearby Auror, all five were stunned and bound. They were replaced with ten more Death Eaters, who were struck down as well.  
  
Backs to one another, Harry and Draco circled round, fighting off those that ventured near. No matter how many were stunned, more arrived still. It was becoming increasingly difficult to fend them off, and both were growing tired.  
  
"Draco, behind you!" Harry shouted suddenly.  
  
Spinning around, Draco saw the two Death Eaters that he had stunned just earlier, and they were hurtling toward them with superhuman speed and murder in their eyes. Grabbing Harry's hand, he shouted, "Run!"  
  
They took off in the opposite direction, running with as much mustered speed as possible. Draco blindly threw hexes over his shoulder, not stopping to check on any damage done. He was too preoccupied with dodging other Death Eaters. His only concern was to protect Harry.  
  
"Keep running!" he wheezed out. "We're almost--"  
  
But his words were cut off as both he and Harry were hit with a curse. Draco fell to his knees, crumpling to the ground. Wide shamrock eyes stared back at him from where Harry had fallen not two feet away. "Harry," he rasped out, choking as blood filled his throat. He coughed, blood spurting out and pooling under his head, which was too heavy to lift from the ground. He could feel the curse burning through his veins, searing him from the inside out. This one was much more horrible than the Killing curse. Unlike Avada Kedavra, this curse did not offer a painless death.  
  
"Draco," Harry returned painfully, using every last ounce of strength he had to move his arm and grip Draco's hand. Death was upon them both; it was only a matter of seconds now.  
  
"I'm... sorry..." the blonde coughed out the words. His lungs were filling with blood, gasps in place of breaths. Fingers clutching desperately at Harry's, he tried to convey all of his unspoken words to the man whom lay dying beside him.  
  
That squeeze of their hands together gave Harry the strength to hold on just a moment longer. They had had a good life, a happy life together. And now they would die together, leaving their bodies behind as they continued on to a place much more divine, where they would forever be each other's soul. "I love you," he whispered.  
  
"I love--"  
  
And the last breath rose and fell from their bodies, eyes staring back lifelessly at one another, hands still clasped.  
  
I'd give you everything I own  
  
Mind, body, and soul  
  
Skin and bones  
  
Everything we are  
  
The moon, the sun, and stars  
  
Skin and bones  
  
Are you headed to the sky  
  
D'you ever think to wonder, wonder why  
  
Skin and bones  
  
Just skin and bones  
  
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While writing this, I was seriously considering making this a two-shot and giving them a happy ending. When I got to the end, though, I realized it was just that: the end. I don't think I would've been able to do the song or the fic justice by changing the ending. I was quite shocked, actually, having never written a deathfic before. But I think it turned out rather well. At least, much better than I expected it to.  
  
Please review! I do so love and depend on feedback. They say reviews are motivators, and they aren't lying! I have 2 epics in the works, plus another chapter to HLaS. I could use some of that motivation right about now. Thanks for reading! I love you guys! 


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